In an exclusive interview with Odessa Headlines, former Equipment Services Director Chris Adams, who was terminated yesterday by City Manager John Beckmeyer, shared documents and insights, claiming his dismissal was due to his efforts to expose corruption at City Hall.

The documents include a City of Odessa “GRIEVANCE FORM” that Adams filed on October 14, 2024. According to Adams, shortly after filing the grievance, he began facing retaliation from city officials, including an alleged campaign by the city’s media operation to undermine his credibility.

In his grievance, Adams lists serious allegations, accusing Assistant City Manager Agapito Bernal of bid manipulation and falsifying valuations on city equipment donated to Ojinaga, Mexico.

Adams’s grievance includes detailed claims regarding the recent awarding of the city’s tire contract to Forrest Brothers Tire, which had been held previously by Southern Tire Mart. Adams recounts that bids were opened on December 5, 2023, with three contenders: Forrest Brothers, Southern Tire Mart, and Broadway Motors. “Southern Tire Mart won the bid hands down,” he asserts.

According to Adams, in January 2024, Bernal visited his office, instructing him to “ensure that Forrest Brothers would win the next tire bid,” even hinting he should provide “magic numbers” to make it happen. Adams further alleges that on June 15, 2024, a “Tire Bid Review Committee” met and, upon review, determined Southern Tire Mart was the lowest bidder, with Broadway second and Forrest Brothers last. Despite this, on June 19, 2024, Marissa Rodriguez, a member of the review committee, announced in an email that Forrest Brothers had been awarded the contract. Southern Tire Mart has since filed a lawsuit against the city over this decision.

Another major allegation from Adams involves the donation of city vehicles to Ojinaga, Mexico. He was asked to compile a list of excess vehicles, which he estimated had a book value exceeding $900,000. He was preparing these vehicles for auction and anticipated they could bring in $150,000 to $200,000. However, Adams claims that Bernal instructed Marissa Rodriguez to “significantly lower” the values, ultimately providing a final valuation of only a few thousand dollars. Adams estimates this donation cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars that could have supported the department’s equipment budget.

Addressing other accusations against him, Adams clarified that using a city-owned vehicle for his commute to Lubbock had been explicitly approved by City Manager Beckmeyer.

“I’m not going quietly,” Adams stated. “Gapi and Beckmeyer have tried to tarnish my reputation, but I was simply doing my job. I intend to fight this.”

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